Chapter 82: Arcanine

The moment Maki stepped into this space, a wave of scorching air rushed toward him. The temperature was noticeably several degrees higher than outside.

"Fire Stones? So many of them?"

The first thing that caught Maki's eyes was the abundance of Fire Stones embedded in the rock walls. The ground was also scattered with numerous crimson-colored mineral deposits—these were Fire Stones in their nascent form. Given hundreds or even thousands of years, they would slowly evolve into fully formed Fire Stones.

Maki speculated that the massive stones capable of evolving Leafeon and Glaceon likely followed the same principle, brimming with concentrated Grass- or Ice-type energy.

Even the raw minerals on the ground, when amassed in sufficient quantities, could induce evolution in Pokémon like Ninetales and Growlithe. The high-quality Fire Stones embedded in the walls were an even greater treasure.

But these weren't the most shocking resources in the cavern. What truly stunned Maki was the large number of Vulpix, Ninetales, Growlithe, and Arcanine residing here.

Vulpix had always been considered a rare Pokémon, and with its Drought ability, it was highly coveted by Fire-type specialists. Growlithe, on the other hand, was even rarer—most of them were bred by the Pokémon League and entrusted to the Officer Jenny family, similar to how Chansey was closely associated with Pokémon Centers.

After leading Maki into the cavern, Ninetales continued forward, while the other Vulpix and Ninetales respectfully stepped aside, clearing a path.

At the end of the path, a sight surprised Maki—a massive Arcanine! And not just any Arcanine.

From the sheer aura radiating from its body, Maki could tell that this Arcanine was near Champion level!

But what shocked him even more was its absurd size. Arcanine were already large Pokémon, usually around two meters tall. However, even lying down, this one far exceeded that height.

Maki estimated that if it stood up, it would be at least five meters tall!

Such a massive physique reminded him of a special kind of Pokémon from Alola—Totem Pokémon.

However, Totem Pokémon were unique to Alola, and Maki had never encountered anything like this in Kanto or Johto.

Despite its immense presence, the Arcanine was in terrible condition. Its body was riddled with wounds—dozens of them, with one particularly deep gash nearly severing its front leg. Though many of its wounds had already begun to heal, it was evident that the Arcanine was at the end of its life.

The giant Pokémon lay quietly on a high rock, surrounded by a vast number of Fire Stones. Fire-type energy continuously flowed into its body, but it was of no use.

Its eyes remained shut, and if not for the faint rise and fall of its chest, one might have thought it had already passed. But at this point, the difference was negligible.

Sensing the approach of Ninetales or perhaps Maki's presence, the Arcanine's eyelids trembled slightly. It took a tremendous effort to barely open them, revealing a dull and lifeless gaze.

With great difficulty, it parted its jaws and whispered something to Ninetales. Even this small movement seemed to exhaust all the energy it had left, and it fell motionless once more.

Maki could tell that this Arcanine's time was nearly up. It wasn't just the injuries—it was also old, far beyond its prime. Its once golden-orange fur had begun to gray, a clear sign of aging.

For most Pokémon, nearly ninety-nine percent of their lifespan was spent in their growth and peak stages, with infancy and old age being fleeting phases. A newly hatched Pokémon could develop combat capabilities within days, but once signs of aging appeared, their strength rapidly declined until the end of their life.

This Arcanine was no exception. Its natural lifespan was already reaching its limit, and with such severe injuries, only the intervention of Xerneas, the guardian of life, or the Sacred Ash of Ho-Oh could save it. Otherwise, nothing could be done.

If this Arcanine were restored to its peak, it wouldn't just be close to Champion level—it would truly be at that level!

As Maki approached, Ninetales' body glowed with a pink psychic aura, linking Maki's mind with the Arcanine's.

"Come closer, child. I mean you no harm. There is no need for such caution."

Arcanine's voice resonated in Maki's mind through Ninetales' psychic connection. Even so, its tone was weak and feeble.

Maki hesitated only for a moment before stepping forward. If the Arcanine had any hostile intentions, it would have acted already. There was no need for it to wait or to present itself in such a vulnerable state.

Standing before the mighty Arcanine, Maki watched as the Pokémon remained still, its clouded eyes gazing at him as if searching for something within him.

Beside them, Ninetales let out a sorrowful whimper and gently licked Arcanine's wounds. But even she knew—their time together was almost over.

"Your wounds…" Maki began, hesitating.

"You can see it, can't you? My time is short. Let the young ones tell you what happened," Arcanine replied.

Maki fell silent. Given Arcanine's condition, the fact that it was still alive was a miracle in itself.

Arcanine knew this too. Yet something had kept it going, something had made it hold on until now—and Maki didn't know what it was.

"Come, child. Hold out your hand, bring it to my mouth."

Maki didn't know what Arcanine intended, but he complied.

As soon as his hand was within reach, Arcanine opened its mouth. From its tongue, a crimson fragment fell.

The fragment wasn't smooth—it was jagged, with uneven edges, as if it had once been part of a larger whole. Despite this, it was still roughly half the size of Maki's palm, an indication of how Arcanine had managed to keep it concealed within its mouth.

"This is…?"

Maki caught the fragment in his hand. Though it had come from Arcanine's mouth, it was completely pristine, radiating an intense heat.

His hands trembled slightly as he held it. He suddenly had a feeling—perhaps he now understood why Arcanine had clung to life for so long.

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